Every Friday, Tally-Ho Corner’s cleverest clogs come together to solve a ‘foxer’ handcrafted by my sadistic chum and colleague, Roman. A complete ‘defoxing’ sometimes takes several days and usually involves the little grey cells of many readers. All are welcome to participate.
The honeycomb below is a fancy form of wordsearch in which every cell is used, and words can curl and zigzag but never overlap. Each hive foxer has a theme (some past ones: owls, rugby, Egypt, UFOs…). Identifying the theme is a vital part of the defoxing process.
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SOLUTIONS
Last week’s ‘33 Things Wot You Might Find On, In, or Touching a Human Face’ missing vowels foxer:
1. RG – rouge (Nutfield)
2. WR YSML – wry smile (Nutfield)
3. NBRW – unibrow (Nutfield)
4. LPTR RHNNS – leptorrhine nose (Nutfield)
5. BR NDNGRN – branding iron (Nutfield)
6. MLN NZDCLLS – melaninized cells (Colonel_K, Nutfield)
7. MNRPR CNG – monroe piercing (Nutfield)
8. MDLPLPB RLCM MSSR – medial palpebral commissure (a_monk)
9. BXNGGL V – boxing glove (Nutfield)
10. MNMLNX HYDR – manumala noxhydria (Nutfield)
11. LKFS RP RS – look of surprise (Nutfield)
12. KPLK PL – kple kple ()
13. MBL MNGFLD – embalming fluid (Nutfield)
14. NSPR STHSS- nose prosthesis (Nutfield)
15. FTLVS NGGG LS – fatal vision goggles (Nutfield)
16. BD SFS WT – beads of sweat (Nutfield)
17. LTHM – litham ()
18. CLMB NMRCHNGPW DR – columbian marching powder (Nutfield)
19. CR CDLTRS – crocodile tears (Mrs Nutfield)
20. GRPFL VRDHB BBB B – grape flavoured hubba bubba (Nutfield)
21. CS TRDP – custard pie (Colonel_K)
22. SG NSFBL LSPL SY – signs of bells palsy (Nutfield)
23. BD GRHR – badger hair (Nutfield)
24. GLB LLRLN – glabellar line (Nutfield)
25. PR SDLPS – pursed lips (Nutfield)
26. JNCH KR – ajna chakra (captaincabinets)
27. KJLPN CL – kajal pencil (Nutfield)
28. DL LNGSCR – duelling scar (Nutfield)
29. LSHG L – lash glue () or lash gel (Nutfield)
30. BRDS ND – beard snood (Colonel_K)
31. VSRD – visard (Colonel_K)
32. NS LBLFLD – nasolabial fold (Nutfield)
33. SLDJ NRB R ZL NKSSC PCL PBTT R – sol de janeiro brazilian kiss cupuaçu lip butter (Colonel_K)
A7. MISSING
G1 – PASTOR
G4 – BIZZLE, Christian rapper.
…or PATROL
Four Gs with not a lot of vowels bottom right, as well as the cluster of Zs in the middle!
M7 GUCCI, but I don’t think that uses up enough of the Gs!
Or L4 WARG…
B8. BRINGING UP … FRAU…
There’s another Frau in the bottom row. Goes with Missis along the top!
I8 – TUAREG
H12 CHEVRON
M1 – FUNKY SOUND
Leaving ‘MOO’ 😀
F4 – MIZZLE (a blend of mist and drizzle)
J10 – URCHIN or URCHINS
There are three partial answers in the comments above. One requires one more letter, two require additional words.
We’re also missing the total number of answers, and if any are initialisms.
PISTOLS, CHEVRONS and PASTORS are all possible.
H4 – HOUND, one of many words using that OUND, including J1 – MOONBOUND
Fans of steam washers will appreciate KARCHER at J9.
M7 – GUCCI GRACE was apparently the nickname of Grace Mugabe, the widow of Robert Mugabe
G6 has ZANU-PF and E8 is SALISBURY. Looks like Zimbabwe is the link.
H6 also has ZANU, the prior name for ZANU-PF, but that seems like maybe a stretch to have both.
K2 – NKOMO. Not sure if the link is Zimbabwe in general or Mugabe in particular.
K7 – Gukurahundi. I’m leaning towards Mugabe but the history of both are so intertwined it could still be either.
…which leaves CHEVRONS.
Name of the Zimbabwe cricket team, apparently
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zimbabwe_national_cricket_team
L6 GREAT DYKE
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Dyke
A1. SHANGANI PATROL – 34 men of British South Africa Company wiped out by 3,000 Matabele warriors, 1893
D3. THE GRASS IS SINGING – first novel by Doris Lessing
ETA: Leaves A7. MBIRA – musical instruments in the lamellophone family (thumb pianos)
G6 ZIMPLATS?
‘Zimplats is the leading mining company in Zimbabwe specializing in platinum group metals such as platinum, palladium, rhodium, iridium, ruthenium & osmium.’
Possibly H7 ZIG (brand new currency) and G5 BAZ (Broadcasting Authority of Zimbabwe), but without the number of words it’s hard to tell.
It looks like ‘boys’ is left towards the left hand side, but only a muddle of vowels leading up to it…
No BAZ, because it’s G5 BHUNDU BOYS
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhundu_Boys
But I’m going to bed.
Using up the last Z: K4. SADZA – Shona (majority ethnic group) term for cooked maize meal
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ugali#Zimbabwe
Without knowing the total number of answers there’s an outside possibility that it’s FOUR ..something… SADZA as their version of Quattro Staggione, but I’ve found no evidence for that.
(“sun-dried vegetables known as Mfushwa” is sort-of close)